Inlet valve for toilet flush tank



Jan. 24, 1956 2,731,979

T. E. CROCKETT INLET VALVE FOR TOILET FLUSH TANK Filed Sept. 24, 1955 INVENTQR Tholnds E. Crockebi:

BY BMW ATTORNEY United States Patent HVLET VALVE FOR TOILET FLUSH TANK Thomas E. Crockett, Corpus Christi, Tex., assignor to Earnest L. Crockett, Corpus Christi, Tex.

Application September 24, 1953, Serial No. 382,071 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-414) My invention relates to an inlet float control valve device for a toilet flush tank.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character formed of few and simple parts, which are reliable in operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which may be installed in the standard toilet flush tank without materially altering the construction of such tank.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a side elevation, parts broken away, and parts in central vertical section, of the tank and inlet valve device,

Figure 2 is. a plan view with the top of the tank removed, and

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral designates a toilet flush tank, having a vertical water inlet pipe 11 extending through its bottom, and a vertical overflow pipe 12.

Rigidly mounted upon the top of the inlet pipe 11 is a valve casing 13, which is preferably cylindrical and has a top 14 which may be removable and of course forms a water-tight joint with the casing. The top of the valve casing may be arranged at the water level. The upper end of the inlet pipe 11 preferably extends upwardly beyond the bottom of the casing 13, forming an annular valve seat 15, and the bottom is provided with a large outlet opening 16, to discharge the water in the tank. If desired a pipe may lead from the opening 16 to the bottom of the tank 10. A small pipe 17 leads into the casing 13 adjacent to its bottom and discharges into the top of the overflow pipe 12, for providing a water seal, as is well known.

Mounted within the casing 13 is a cylindrical valve element 18, which is cup shaped. This valve element is formed of rubber, natural or synthetic, and has an up standing marginal flange or side 19, projecting above the body portion or bottom of the valve element. The flange 19 is relatively thin and is flexible and resilient. The marginal flange is of a size to have a light sliding contact with the inner surface of the casing, when the water pressure is reduced above the valve element, as when the water is discharging through the opening 16. The body portion or bottom of the valve element which is relatively thick, is relatively stifi and is much stiffer than the flexible flange 19, and the outer surface or periphery of the body portion 18 has a slightly smaller diameter than the exterior diam eter of the flange 19, and is spaced a slight distance from the inner surface of the casing 13, so that the valve element will slide freely in the casing 13. The valve element 18 is provided in its bottom with a contracted weep openv 2,731,979 Patented Jan. 24, 1956 2 ing or port 20, which leads into the inlet pipe 11 and the casing 13, as shown. The top 14 is provided with an outlet opening 21, which is much larger than the weep opening 20, and the opening 21 is adapted to be covered by a valve element 22, arranged within the casing, and carried by a vertical stem 23, extending through the opening 21. The opening 21 is much larger in diameter than the stem 23, and the area of the opening 21 surrounding the stem 23 is much larger than the weep opening 20. A float 24 is secured to a lever 25, pivotally connected with the stem 23at 26, to swing vertically; The lever has a down turned end 27, contacting with the cover 14. The down turned end may be pivotally connected with the cover so that the lever 25 swings in a vertical plane, if desired.

The operation of the valve device is as follows:

When the desired water level is obtained, the float 24 is raised and valve element 22 seated. A small amount of water will pass through the weep opening 20, and fill the casing 13 above the valve element 18. This water is under pressure and the pressure will be applied to the flexible flange 19, which will be bent or spread outwardly, to afford a water tight contact with the casing 13. When his desired to flush the toilet, the usual outlet valve 27 is unseated and the water discharges from the tank. The water level is lowered and the float 24 descends, opening or unseating valve element 22. The water within the casing 13, above the valve element 18, is now free to discharge through the opening 21 and is at atmospheric pressure. The water within the pipe 11 now' bears against the valve element 18, and unseats the same, and the valve element 18 rises within the casing 13. The incoming water now enters the casing 13 beneath the valve element 18 and discharges through large opening 16 into the tank, and some of the water may pass through the pipe 17. The valve 18 remains unseated while the tank 10 is being filled. When the water pressure is reduced above the valve element 18, the flange 19 has its pressure against the side of the casing 13 reduced, so that it only has a light sliding contact, while the body portion or bottom of the valve element is slightly spaced from the side of the casing. When the tank is again filled, float 24 closes valve element 22, and the water under pressure passes through weep hole 20, and the water above the valve element 18 again seats such valve element 18.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A valve device for toilet flush tanks comprising an inlet water pipe rising from the bottom of the tank, a cylindrical valve easing secured to the upper end of said inlet pipe and communicating therewith and having a discharge opening in its lower end, a vertically movable rubber disc valve element including an annular marginal flange which is flexible disposed within said casing, the disc valve element substantially covering the lower end of the casing, inlet pipe and discharge opening and having a weep opening communicating with the inlet pipe and easing, said marginal flange extending axially above the disc valve element and contacting the side wall of the cylindrical casing, and float controlled valve means for the upper end of the casing.

2. The combination with a toilet flush tank, of a water inlet pipe connected therewith and having an upper end, a valve casing carried by the upper end of the water inlet pipe and communicating therewith and having upper and lower ends and a substantially vertical side wall, the lower end of the valve casing having a water discharge opening element arranged within the casing and substantially covering the lower end thereof and including an expantsible marginal ,porti'on contacting the side wall of the casing and adapted to form a liquid tight seal therewith, the disc valve element having a small opening formed therein communicating with said water inlet pipe.

3. Valve mechanism for use in connection with a toilet flush tank havinga water inlet pipe comprising a substantially cylindrical valve casing of considerable diameter to be arranged vertically in use and including upper and lower ends, -the lower end of said casing having a central opening to receive the end of the inlet pipe and a water outlet opening, the upper end-of the casing having a disc'hargeopening, a float operated valve element connected with the upper end of the casing and adapted to cover said discharge opening, and a rubber valve element mounted within the casing and adapted to move bodily vertically therein, the rubber valve element having a substantially fiat circular body portion substantially covering the lower end of the casing, inlet pipe and water outlet opening, said body portion having a central weep opening communicating with the inlet pipe, the rubber valve element having an upstanding marginal annular flange which tapers upwardly in cross section so as to be readily expandable by water pressure against the side wall of the cylindrical casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 925,538 Weaver et al June 22, 1909 128,753 Tcahen Sept. 3, 1940 2,588,242 Hunter Mar. 4, 1952 

